Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Lewis
Hi Kelsey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We are Elite Personal Development. We are are tennis coaching team from Sydney, Australia. Our names are John Thompson and Kelsey Lewis. In Sydney, John and I run and manage two tennis centres and pride ourselves on our elite tennis coaching, fitness coaching, mental training and nutrition services. As well as running Junior development programs, we run an intimate tennis academy for aspiring elite professional tennis players.
San Antonio, Texas holds a special place in our heart as it is the home of the John Newcombe Tennis Academy. John Thompson and I have a close relationship with the team at ‘Newks’ and for over 25 years John has facilitated trips for juniors, professionals and adults from Australia to the ranch. The incredible Newk’s ranch also facilitates an annual ‘College Showcase’ where we are able to take our Australia athletes to show them the opportunity that is college tennis in the USA and what career pathways are out there for them as athletes.
Over January, I had the opportunity to assist the NCAA Division II men’s and women’s tennis programs at St Mary’s University in San Antonio as a volunteer coach under Head Coach William Macom. This was an incredible opportunity as a tennis professional to experience first hand the USA college system and gain knowledge on programs, expectations and the level of players to pass on to our athletes back in Australia.
In March, John looks excitedly towards traveling to the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch again to assist with the Elite Academy and join the coaching team at the renowned ‘Legends Week’ Fantasy Camp alongside John Newcombe himself and many revered Former Grand Slam champions and legends of the sport.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
An obstacle we consistently face is that travelling is essential when based in Australia. As coaches seeking professional development and experience or for our tennis players aspiring to play at the highest level of the game, international travel is essential.
Although a Grand Slam country, Australia is isolated from the masses of events, opportunities and players found in Europe, North and South America, Asia and more. As a team, we are passionate about educating players and parents on the wide world of career opportunities in tennis and sport for those that are persistent, disciplined and driven.
We facilitate frequent interstate and international tournament and training trips, not only to provide our athletes with opportunities to play on the world stage, but to educate players on the realities of travelling as professionals and build resilience, independence and character.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
As a team, John and I specialise in providing a holistic coaching approach to aspiring professional tennis players. Both John and I have backgrounds in playing professional tennis, personal training, strength and conditioning, speed and agility, nutrition and mental training.
We pride ourselves on providing an elite service of knowledge, experience and expertise to our athletes to facilitate their journey to reaching their potential as both people and tennis players.
As a coaching team we have gone on to win the back to back 2o23 and 2024 Australian Tennis NSW Coaching Excellence in Development awards.
As a team we regularly prioritise the facilitation of interstate and international tournament and training trips to widen our athletes experience, perspective and career opportunities. Most frequently, we travel to the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch for their world class academy and facilities and to the USA in general to explore USA College opportunities and scholarships.
John Thompson also hosts a successful podcast called ‘Tennis Talk 101’ where he dives deep into all thing tennis, education, training and pathways for tennis athletes. ‘Tennis Talk 101’ recently hit number 1 on the charts in Australia for most popular tennis podcast!
We are most proud brand wise that we are player and person centred, not business. We truly aim to make a difference with every individual we work with and knock on every door we can to help them achieve their goals and potential. It is so rewarding to see players we work with accomplish great things and most importantly, turn into great people.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
JUST GIVE IT A GO! If you are passionate, persistent, hardworking and have a positive attitude you can wake up everyday and live out your passion and dreams.
Both John and I are able to live out our dreams everyday through the sport of tennis, yet none of this would have been possible if we had not put ourselves out there, in the public eye and out of our comfort zones.
Additionally, my advice to those just starting out is to invest in personal development, education and knowledge acquisition. Invest in your brand (yourself) by studying your passion, leading from first hand experience, traveling and constantly chasing new learning opportunities in your field of choice.
Lastly, surround yourself with people that inspire you to be the best person and professional you can be everyday. As a business partner, I am so incredibly grateful to be working with John Thompson. John was my full time coach and mentor from a Junior to professional athlete to business partner. He has been an incredible force in the positive direction of my life and without him and his guidance I would not be where I am now. John is an incredible example and embodiment of dedication, hard work, leadership and perseverance. He continues to this day to constantly seek new opportunities to improve, learn and adapt as a coach, person and leader. I am incredibly proud to stand by his side.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Elitepersonaldevelopment.com.au
- Instagram: @Elite.personal.development_
- Facebook: @Elitepdtraining
